On this day in history: Southend United 0-0 Liverpool - January 10 - 1979

[Chris Powell's mate]

I got the impression around 29,000 were holding their breath expecting Liverpool to score at any moment.
For a 31,000 record crowd it was a strange, muted atmosphere, says the mind's eye - at least it was in the East Stand.
The pitch helped create the great result, but Alan Moody was immense that night. I do miss the South terrace. You really could be king of all you surveyed from the top step.

 

[FitzMK]

I hope the good people of Shrimperzone won't mind me re-posting my memories of that wonderful night the Blues waltzed in the snow with the arguably the best side in Europe.
http://www.yellowad.co.uk/article.cfm?id=122858&headline=Yellow Sports Brian Jeeves takes a trip down memory lane to Roots Hall Stadium on this day in 1979&sectionIs=sport&searchyear=2017

Remember it well - what a performance against an exceptional Liverpool side! Was a privilege to be there.

 

[ozzie]

then straight after the game,off home ASP,to watch ,i think it was ,Sports night with Coleman. And us on the box.
The only sad thing for me was we could not have our "END"...i understand why the Police made that decision, but how would that have been..The PAK..North Bank..FULL,,off faces ,lads who still went,not often or even had not been for a while...lads from the 60s,who now-.then were married,but turned up for this one game.
That moment would have been better?....how much better?? than the QPR,VILLA,CHELSEA games....but sadly only dreams....and im getting very good at them(dreaming)

 

[Floval Flyer]

Blimey that 40 Years flew by. I was at primary school at the time, went with my dad, got there ridiculously early and stood right at the front of the West Stand. Remember crying as my dad wouldn’t take me to Anfield for the replay.

Anyone on here go the game in Liverpool??

 

[AndyT]

The pitch helped create the great result, but Alan Moody was immense that night. I do miss the South terrace. You really could be king of all you surveyed from the top step.

Loved standing up there. I was right at the back for the Liverpool match. There's a photo somewhere of the South Bank crowd that night and I'm just out of shot.

I remember standing at the top for most games and looking down on the perfect floodlit turf and then when we had a corner attacking the South Bank, we'd run down to be behind the goal in case it went in.

Great days!

 

[Fairport]

Blimey that 40 Years flew by. I was at primary school at the time, went with my dad, got there ridiculously early and stood right at the front of the West Stand. Remember crying as my dad wouldn’t take me to Anfield for the replay.

Anyone on here go the game in Liverpool??

Yes, although we lost the replay 3 -0 there was no score until late in the first half, before that, Derrick Parker was one on one with keeper Ray Clemence who managed to stop him scoring. At the end of the game the Kop gave the Shrimpers a standing ovation chanting "Southend". A memorable evening!

 

[Benfleet A1]

I was 13 back then. What a night.

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

Anyone on here go the game in Liverpool??

My late wife & me went on one of the coaches. Reality kicked in when walking to Anfield from the coach, & observing what shops there were in the vicinity all had iron grills across the windows from top to bottom.
As previously mentioned, if Derrick Parker hadn't missed his great chance, although we probably would have still lost, it would have been fantastic to have scored there. I believe up to then, they had only conceded 6 goals at Anfield.
Remember the opening scene in 'Raiders of the lost Ark' in the cave, where Indiana dodged darts, spiders, a giant circular rock ball & various other dangers?.
Well, it was like that trying to get back to the coaches without being attacked by many gangs of Scally Scroats, wanting to give you a kicking & rob you. We knew 2 good pals who got robbed & a kicking en route to their transport, & there were many more.
Gary S from Shoebury hired a van, Carl C ( RIP ) & Chris F, Dave W ( from Shoebury ) were some of those who travelled in it.
When they got back to it, it had been sussed out, & the windows had been bricked. They had a very cold journey back, & Gary S lost his deposit on it.
Yes, I remember the Kop sportingly chanting 'Southend, Southend', as we kept going throughout the game, but what should have been a great days adventure, was ruined for quite a few Blues fans, after the game.
FWIW the local Old Bill weren't interested in giving us an escort to the coaches, & kept a low profile, shame on them.

 

[Bobby dazzler]

I remember my father (who passed away late last year) had to go to Singapore on business and was gutted to miss the home game. I was only 12 so it was decided my nan would use my fathers ticket and escort me (embarrassment)
We got to the bottom of shakespeare not long before kick off and the queue was still all the way down the hill. we walked all the way to the front where she promptly pushed us in. Gotta love her ! It would have been near half time we would have got in judging on stories i heard after.

Fabulous memories of that day along with many more since

 

[NZamba Legend]

Yes, although we lost the replay 3 -0 there was no score until late in the first half, before that, Derrick Parker was one on one with keeper Ray Clemence who managed to stop him scoring. At the end of the game the Kop gave the Shrimpers a standing ovation chanting "Southend". A memorable evening!

Always a good relationship between the scousers and Southend. They appreciate our grand footballing tradition (!). Mike Marsh is magic. I can imagine Stanley Park was pretty hairy of an evening in the early 80s but by 91 (92?) and the Everton FA cup game things were okay. Remember smoking a big boofer in there with Bernie Friend after we got off the coach. The game passed serenely and Keith Jones was amazing.

 

[Mick]

Blimey that 40 Years flew by. I was at primary school at the time, went with my dad, got there ridiculously early and stood right at the front of the West Stand. Remember crying as my dad wouldn’t take me to Anfield for the replay.

Anyone on here go the game in Liverpool??

Yep, Liverpool were obviously a great side and didn't need the generous help they were given by Keith Hackett.

For some reason our coach driver let a few of us hop off in Everton outside a pub which made finding the coach after the game a bit tricky as we weren't sure where it was !

 

[AndyT]

Always a good relationship between the scousers and Southend. They appreciate our grand footballing tradition (!). Mike Marsh is magic. I can imagine Stanley Park was pretty hairy of an evening in the early 80s but by 91 (92?) and the Everton FA cup game things were okay. Remember smoking a big boofer in there with Bernie Friend after we got off the coach. The game passed serenely and Keith Jones was amazing.

Keith Jones performance that day, for me, is still the best I've seen in a Southend shirt.

 

[The Big Dady]

I have posted this up before but worth repeating here

The televised programme was Sportsnight introduced by Harry Carpenter on the BBC, here is a pic of John Motson commentating on the game sitting above the West Stand covered in a sheet to try to keep the snow of him, you can just make out part of the old South Bank.

In this BBC item "When snowy weather and football collide" there is some actual footage taken at the Southend v Liverpool game at Roots Hall showing above pic at 01:00.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21082815

 

[North Devon Shrimper]

They always show that pic of Motty when BBC are talking about his career. What a man!

 

[ozzie]

True....but also no...he got paid for it..
The REAL people were the fans who stood in the South Bank !! and paid for it-
Also he will only remember the snow..we will remember the weeks that built up to that game
Watford away,replay..liverpool home..replay
But you are right,Motty was good...and his sheepskin??

 

[ozzie]

I was also in that van,as was "Liverpool"Ron ..who warned us(but i did not believe,wrongly) about those fans and so was Biffo.
Ron ,when leaving the van,went with most of the lads...i went alone,wrong thing to do,as within 60 seconds in the carpark,a car full of scousers tried to run me over.
If they wanted too,they could have,but muck me i was worried!!!! Ron where are you when i need you.
I ran between parked cars,with this "motor" folllowing me...they must have laughed like muck..
As you wrote,the Police did not care...i have a few "tales" too tell about that day,but were all negative.
Been to many a Southend game away ,since 1968..worried now and then...but that was the cherry on top of the worried cake....only equal..the 1981,Hungary v England away game..
could not bluff my way out of both "situations" because i could not speak the "lingo"

 

[Bernie44]

Always a good relationship between the scousers and Southend. They appreciate our grand footballing tradition (!). Mike Marsh is magic. I can imagine Stanley Park was pretty hairy of an evening in the early 80s but by 91 (92?) and the Everton FA cup game things were okay. Remember smoking a big boofer in there with Bernie Friend after we got off the coach. The game passed serenely and Keith Jones was amazing.

'Do you want sauce in your burger, la?'

 

[Harry Bullocks]

Loved standing up there. I was right at the back for the Liverpool match. There's a photo somewhere of the South Bank crowd that night and I'm just out of shot.

I remember standing at the top for most games and looking down on the perfect floodlit turf and then when we had a corner attacking the South Bank, we'd run down to be behind the goal in case it went in.

Great days!

I was sweet 16 at the time, queued for ages to get into the South Bank with my mate....expectation / hope / dread....

It wasn't the best of games, but one that will stick with me.....

I haven't seen the South Bank picture, but not being the tallest...…...unlikely to be able to spot me